Obesity is a major risk factor for development of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension (together: “metabolic syndrome”), type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diverse cancers. Obesity has become epidemic in Westernized cultures.
What is needed in the art are methods and compositions for identifying key factors in regulating obesity, particularly those associated with regulation of energy metabolism and weight gain/loss. More specifically, what is needed in the art are methods and compositions for treating or preventing obesity, or methods and compositions for identifying compounds effective for treating or preventing obesity.